Il Basilico in Mendip

I was looking for a nice place to take my wife for her birthday. She loves Italian food and I came across this highly rated restaurant. Food was outstanding, some of the best Italian food we’ve had. Staff very friendly and accommodating. Will definitely be visiting again. Highly recommend.

Visited last night for the first time (16th Aug) and it definitely won’t be our last!! It will probably be our go to from now on. We had a table booked for 8pm, we had to wait 5 mins for the table to be ready but that wasn’t a problem at all. The manager was very polite and friendly and gave us a drink at the bar whilst we waited. You know it’s a good sign when every table is full! Once we were seated we were given a menu and were spoilt for choice what to choose! We chose a starter and a main each - it was absolutely beautiful!! The seafood spaghetti was as absolutely fantastic! The ingredients were fresh and high quality. The staff were absolutely wonderful. Every staff member said hello and checked in on us. They were so busy with big groups but were still very professional and friendly! Thank you for a lovely evening!

The food was terrible but they did remove it from the bill. Definitely won’t return to this place. It’s definitely not Italian

Fabulous food, fresh, flavourful Italian cuisine cooked with love, excellent wine menu. luxurious surroundings. Highly recommended.

have now been to this restaurant three times in the past fortnight the food is amazing very tasty and always piping hot my partner and i were so impressed we took friends there who are really into fine food and we wasn’t disappointed they loved the place and especially the food the staff couldn’t be any more attentive so much better than find a lovely family run place rather than these multi national chain restaurants

The staff were especially friendly and the atmosphere and decorations were not to disappoint. The food was also brilliant, tasteful and creative. The restaurant is easy to locate and brilliant for everyone to have a drink as the taxi company is only across the road. The only issue we found was that the food was always a bit too hot to eat when it came out the kitchen. Overall it was a wonderful experience, definitely recommend.

What a gorgeous evening! We have just enjoyed a delicious meal. The food was piping hot when served and the tastiest we have eaten in a long time. Huge compliments to the chef! Lovely wine, fabulous service (including lighting our candle on the table!), great decor and ambience. Can’t wait to visit again. Thank you 🤩

After reading the reviews, we decided to book. We were warmly greeted and our first impressions were very good. The waitress was very knowledgeable and friendly. Our order always taken quickly and our drinks arrived promptly. The restaurant was busy and had a lovely atmosphere. Our food arrived, and 1 meal was missing. The waitress couldn't apologise enough and admitted it was her fault, she offered our friend bread and balsamic whilst he was waiting, it was a shame that this happened as it felt awkward 3 of us eating whilst 1 wasn't. His food arrived as we were nearly finished, again the waitress apologised. We had a lovely evening and this review would have been a 5 star if it wasn't for the missing meal.A lovely, friendly restaurant.

We booked a table for 6 of us, to celebrate my granddaughters 21st Birthday. This is our first visit and sure it won’t be the last. We were greeted on arrival, with a smile, excellent family run which actually shows. The food portions were massive, and tasted as good as it looks. Overall it was a fantastic experience, which is well priced. Thank you so much for the attentive service.

A nice tucked away restaurant with a nice ambience. The service was quick and cheerful. The food was also delicious and came out very quickly. Not too expensive either...would recommend.

Really fantastic service and excellent home cooked food. We had the bruschetta ai funghi, which was simple but perfect - home baked bread and delicious mushrooms. The gardinieri pizza had a delicious smokiness to it, and the seafood spaghetti was very tasty indeed, made with fresh ingredients and with a huge big juicy prawn on top. Classic Anglo- Italian menu all done perfectly. The staff were all friendly, professional, helpful and made us feel very welcome. Would definitely go back!!

Excellent food and customer service. I love this restaurant. I go back here whenever I have the chance. I go with my partner, I go alone and I take the kids too. I love it. It’s the best Italian in town. Fresh food and very welcoming people.

This restaurant was easy to book online which we needed to do on a Friday night. The interior is quite attractive. My partner had salmon, which he found to be far too salty for his taste. I was also disappointed in the quality of my chicken tagliatelle. The front of house staff did not seem very experienced. As we visited in August, we did wonder if our experience may have been driven by staff holidays.

Absolutely amazing food! All tasted amazingly. The atmosphere in the restaurant was brilliant and staff were superb. Could have not done enough for us.

Came across this place on a chance visit to Bedford. The place is atmospheric and recently renovated, and has a touch of class. The staff weee accommodating, even though booked ahead on Saturday evening (5pm). Polite and friendly - took time to talk to us about the area as well as the food. The food (a pasta and risotto) was excellent, flavourful, cooked well and reasonably portioned. Would defiantly return on a future visit!

Second time we have visited and food was amazing. Absolutely love the new refurb and the staff are so welcoming and friendly. Can’t wait to book again. Menu is fab!

I was told about this restaurant a year ago but decided not to go as being an Italian, i was quite critical of the cuisine and had been to all the other Italian restaurants in Bedford whose proprietors and cooks are Italian but sadly cannot cook, The Italians from Italy would throw eggs at them. However, left with no choice other than venturing to other towns, I visited iL Basilico, ordered a pasta dish and a fish dish and Wow ! dare i say more but Wow, pasta was Al Dente and not overcooked. The fish dish was also good. The only criticism, i would say was that the pasta plate although large had a small bowl, so for me for quantity is was no near enough but otherwise, service, welcoming and attention. Five stars.

Stay here in Bedford to go to Twinwood. Searched for top Italian restaurants and this one came up. Amazing fresh Italian food. Staff very attentive Best Italian ever, wish we had one in Hampshire.

Great Restaurant, really good food with a great atmosphere, The Salmon Linguini was excellent, tender salmon with cherry tomatoes and green beans. The house red was good value but other drinks looked expensive. A great find, will be back!

Walked past this restaurant so many times and only after my husband saw the reviews, we decided to pay a visit. I’ll be honest I wasn’t expecting much , but they made me change my mind . We ordered king prawns with garlic and calamari for starter , pork tenderloin in a cream brandy sauce, Spaghetti carbonara and a garlic pizza bread for our main . I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed that pork, beautifully cooked with Al dente green beans, perfectly seasoned rosemary potatoes and the most delicious brandy cream sauce - heaven The chili and oil pizza bread was slim crispy and the perfect accompaniment to my husbands pasta . In fact he was pretty much silent until he finished it - always a good sign . We would definitely return Two starters two mains side dish , cocktail and large beer £73

We called in `on speck` for a drink and light lunch. Good food, charming landlord, lovely gardens. Definitely recommended.

We all loved this restaurant having taking a punt on not knowing restaurants in Bedford. We’ve discovered a gem. Good food, ambiance, service , friendly and efficient staff. We are looking forward to eating here again and would certainly recommend to our friends.

I booked here for my parents as it was my dad's birthday. They were very pleased, the service was excellent and the food was the best they have eaten out for a very long time. Very reasonably priced. Whilst booking the on line I let them know it was my dad's birthday. They very kindly presented him with a desert and candle! What a nice touch. Thank you

We live close to Bedford and had pretty much written off the town as all the good restaurants had either closed down or gone down hill (most but not all tbf). However we read the TA reviews and thought we’d give Il Basilico a try...

Visited for my Dad's 60th birthday family meal. Great attentative service and a lovely decorated restaurant. Food was good on the whole, although not authentic Italian so lacking flavour. They did forget our garlic bread, which was rushed through so under cooked, which was a...

Such amazing food, atmosphere and service. Service was prompt, the food arrived quick and tasted amazing.

My partner and I dined here last night. We hadn’t booked but were seated immediately despite a busy restaurant. We were lucky but I would probably recommend booking! The two staff that served us were extremely attentive and friendly and the food was simply delicious-...

Hi we came Tuesday 27 December 2022 we came from Derbyshire stayed at the embankment hotel looking for decent place to eat came across il basilico just before 9pm let us in and sat down and the service was amazing the guy who served us...

Best food and best service, I will visist again with all my friends! I highly recommend this place for a unique experience!

Italian food as it should be, good quality sticks to simple well made dishes, very reasonable, not manufactured mass produced nonsense. Also very reasonably priced.

We were so pleased to have such an amazing time in this beautiful restaurant, the floor staff was very attentive and friendly. The chef made an amazing risotto which I'm definitely going to order again. Overall and outstanding place!

Really enjoyed and appreciated the food in this restaurant, the atmosphere is calm and friendly. The staff is ready to answer all your questions about the menu if you have any and the chef is very accommodating when it comes to order personalised dishes. As...

Amazing food and experience! The night was fully booked and they managed to open a space for us which was so kind. Plus the chef was happy to do some changes on the menu to make our food vegan. Would definitely come again and recommend.

First time here this evening. Tried to book at the weekend but always fully booked. Lovely small restaurant serving pizza, pasta at very reasonable prices. Very fresh produce. Delicious meals. Good service. Highly recommend this place .

Very good food ,very good service!had a lovely family time! highly recommend! A place to go out in Bedford!

Visited Il Basilico today for lunch. Amazing food, lovely atmosphere and really pleasant and helpful staff. Would definitely recommend to anyone who has not tried this restaurant before. Will be visiting again.

Second time visiting, certainly won’t be the last. Service was maybe a little slow, but easily forgiven being it’s a cosy and busy restaurant. The food is always magnificent, the staff very friendly and attentive, and prices very reasonable. The house red is highly recommended....

I have ordered from this restaurant 3 times and the standard remains very good. I had risotto di mare and pasta trevisana. Both are very delicious and have good size portions. definitely recommend.

Lovely meal, first visit for an evening, have previously eaten lunch. Great,friendly service and very good food, nice atmosphere and lighting for the evening. It was my husbands birthday and he was presented with a lovely warm chocolate brownie with a glass of lemoncelo. We...

I went there for the first time and the food was absolutelly delicious!!I had Pasta carbonara and it was amazing,also service was really professional and friendly!I definitelly recomend it!!

Visited this restaurant for the first time this evening and I cannot believe that I waited so long! It was an absolutely lovely dinning experience. Every single member of staff was super polite and genuinely friendly. The food was delicious, cooked with fresh ingredients and...

It was a quiet time for the restaurant so one might expect staff to be 'fussing' around you. Not a bit of it! We were allowed to have get-together without intrusion and the staff were courteous, friendly and mindful, keeping a respectful distance. Food was...

The staff were really friendly and efficient, the food was lovely. Will definitely be recommending to all my friends. :-)

Lovely meal, food was excellent and very hot, good choice. Service was also excellent. This was our first visit but will not be our last.

Despite being one of the hottest days the atmosphere and temperature was very good. Superb waitress service and very polite, the food was excellent with a variety of meals ordered.. The portions are very generous so I would suggest no snacks before going.! . The...

We’re so glad we’ve found this little gem of a restaurant. The interior is classy and the vibe is relaxed - it’s like being on holiday. The food is excellent with plenty of choice and fresh ingredients. Staff are lovely - you never feel hurried...

This was my 4th/5th visit to the restaurant and it’s been superb every time. The staff are really friendly and attentive and are happy to mix the menu up if you fancy a different style of pasta etc. Love the ambience in the place and...

Went tonight, 17/6, waitresses excellent, food great, top recommend. The beer was good too. Thank you.

We were in Bedford on a work trip and decided to try this restaurant and how happy were we that we did, the food was excellent, the staff were so helpful, if I lived closer this would be my new goto restaurant. If I’m in...

Our first visit and will definitely be back. Mussels, pasta and limoncello tiramisu. Great food, service and reasonably priced

First time visiting, won’t be the last. Excellent service and great value for money, the pizza was excellent, up there with the best in Bedford

A birthday celebration at ll Basilico tonight went down a storm. Although the restaurant was very busy the service from the two young waitresses was second to none as we were greeted warming and given the choice of tables to be seated at. There were...

We visited last night ahead of a comedy show in the Corn Exchange and were absolutely amazed by the quality of the food and service. Despite us only having a limited window before the show we were served promptly but without feeling rushed at all....

Chianti classico Was such a lovely night, great wine and great company. Learnt a lot of Italian history - Tira Mi Sù! Manifco el vino Deuzuoso

We visited here this evening as a one off after our usual go-to pizza place changed their menu and my goodness! The pizza was spectacular. So delicious, hot, generous portions. No complaints to be made, we will definitely return.

This is my second visit and on both occasions was greeted with great smiles and warmth from the team. The food is great quality and good value. Nice to see a new business thriving and busy. Go give them some support. I know I will...

Recommended by a couple of people prior to our visit. We found it to be equally impressive. Good food and excellent service really made for a lovely night. We’ll be back!

Food was just beautiful. Friendly service. Lovely place! Highly recommend. We will definitely return. A nice ambience

3rd visit to this restaurant, same excellent service, and food best in Bedford. very friendly staff can't do enough for you. will see you again.

Excellent new restaurant ! Had heard it was nice and I can vouch for that . I loved the way they had kept the old style of the pub that the building was . But it was warm and cosy . Staff were excellent ,...

Wonderful friendly staff, nothing too much trouble. Calamari and Mussels for starters, really nice. Canelloni and Pesto pasta with veg and creamy sauce for our mains, amazing. Brilliantly cooked fresh food.

How have we not found this little gem before. Excellent food, extraordinary service. Will be returning and widely recommending.

Just had lunch 😄. One of the best quick lunches ever. Great service (with a genuine smile) Will definitely come again for a full meal.

I went here for a family members birthday and we had the whole restaurant to our selfs which was lovely. The food was amazing and tasted so fresh, really flavourful and good value for money as the portion size was really good. This is the...

Another memorable dining and outstanding customer service experienced at this family run restaurant. The quality of dishes and customer service is what foodie dreams are made of. Pizza, lasagne, pan-fried chicken and Spaghetti alla Carbonara, chocolate fondant and choc brownie, all faultless. The atmosphere was...

We dined at il Basilico as a family for the first time tonight, as an early mothers day treat for my mother and my wife. The service from Holly and Nico was second to none and they were very attentive to our every need, which...

Had a late Sunday lunch. Second visit here and every bit as good on the return. Beautiful fresh cooked Italian food and the best straciatella ice cream I have ever had. The staff are fab too. If you haven't been yet ... go !

This lovely, welcoming, family run restaurant serves wonderful food. Everything is absolutely delicious. Alex mixes a great cocktail too. It’s the best place to eat in Bedford! We highly recommend Il Basilico.